While we're waiting for the transcript of the Mansion House speech last night (see earlier Pundita post today), here are two more analyses -- one from the US and one from Britain -- worth studying. Americans will note that Brown comes close to defending the case for preemption under certain circumstances, although he terms this "hard-headed intervention." Note, too, his call for an international "standby civilian force," including police and judges, to "rebuild civic societies" that have been degraded under dictatorial rule.
However, I am not entirely sure what Gordon Brown means by "hard-headed internationalism" and less sure I'd like it if I understood. But all that is for the future. Right now he's come out strongly on Iran and strongly reiterated Britain's close ties with the United States; that's more than one might have hoped for.
The Sun report also mentions that Mark Malloch-Brown's job is in danger. Yippeee! Couldn't happen to a more deserving person. But MMB will try to hold on by the skin of his teeth until the US presidential election, on the theory that if Clinton wins she'll restore her hubby's roster of foreign policy ghouls to power in Washington.
The New York Sun
Guardian Unlimited
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